The Needle in the Haystack: Uncovering the First Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Aggregation in the Coral Sea

Ingo B. Miller; Richard Fitzpatrick; Kátya G. Abrantes; Bradley Norman; Simon J. Pierce; Mark V. Erdmann; Lisa A. Hoopes; Christine Dudgeon; Matthew D. Dunbabin; Alistair D. M. Dove; Robin J. Beaman; Samantha D. Reynolds; Christopher Rohner; Samuel M. Williams; David Paton; Sonny Lewis; Adam Barnett

doi:10.1002/ece3.71552

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The Needle in the Haystack: Uncovering the First Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Aggregation in the Coral Sea

Journal article

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The Needle in the Haystack: Uncovering the First Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Aggregation in the Coral Sea

Ingo B. Miller, Richard Fitzpatrick, Kátya G. Abrantes, Bradley Norman, Simon J. Pierce, Mark V. Erdmann, Lisa A. Hoopes, Christine Dudgeon, Matthew D. Dunbabin, Alistair D. M. Dove, …

Ecology and Evolution, Vol.15(6), pp.1-23

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71552

PMID: 40557118

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Abstract

conservation

constellation

elasmobranch

Great Barrier Reef

IUCN

marine megafauna

Rhincodon typus

Aggregations are key events, supporting critical ecological and biological functions in many species. For highly mobile and elusive species, aggregations often provide the only feasible opportunities for research. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) form at least 30 consistent seasonal aggregation sites globally, yet none have been documented in the Coral Sea, despite sporadic sightings of solitary individuals and groups. This study aimed to identify and characterise the first whale shark aggregation on Australia's east coast by predicting potential sites through a data layering approach and confirming their presence through targeted field expeditions. A combination of historical sightings data, expert and anecdotal knowledge, and scientific knowledge from other whale shark aggregation sites led to the identification of Wreck Bay, situated at the far northern Great Barrier Reef, as potential aggregation habitat. An initial field expedition in 2019 confirmed the aggregation, and three subsequent voyages in 2021–2024 gathered further demographic and movement data. A total of 59 individuals were identified, with a strong male bias (3.5:1) and all classified as immature sharks ranging from 3.5 to 8.0 m in estimated total length. Satellite tracking revealed a mean residence time of approximately 3 weeks (21.6 days ±10.1 SD; range: 7–43 days), with some individuals revisiting the aggregation in subsequent years. The peak aggregation period occurs from late November to late December, with movements concentrated along the continental shelf before dispersing into the Coral Sea. Tracked sharks (n = 18) exhibited wide-ranging movements, with a mean track duration of 144 days (range: 3–770 days) and a mean total track length of 1463 km (range: 19–11,355 km). This study provides the first evidence of a whale shark aggregation in the Coral Sea and highlights Wreck Bay as key habitat for this iconic and globally endangered species.

Details

Title: The Needle in the Haystack: Uncovering the First Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Aggregation in the Coral Sea
Authors: Ingo B. Miller (Corresponding Author) - James Cook University
Richard Fitzpatrick - Biopixel Oceans Foundation
Kátya G. Abrantes - Biopixel Oceans Foundation
Bradley Norman - Murdoch University
Simon J. Pierce - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Mark V. Erdmann - University of Auckland
Lisa A. Hoopes - Georgia Aquarium (United States)
Christine Dudgeon - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Matthew D. Dunbabin - Queensland University of Technology
Alistair D. M. Dove - Georgia Aquarium (United States)
Robin J. Beaman - James Cook University
Samantha D. Reynolds - Murdoch University
Christopher Rohner - Marine Megafauna Foundation
Samuel M. Williams - Department of Primary Industries
David Paton - Blue Planet Marine (Australia)
Sonny Lewis - ECOCEAN Inc. (Australia)
Adam Barnett - Biopixel Oceans Foundation
Publication details: Ecology and Evolution, Vol.15(6), pp.1-23
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Date published: 2025
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.71552
ISSN: 2045-7758
PMID: 40557118
Copyright note: © 2025 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by British Ecological Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Data Availability: Sightings data as well as tracking data used for analysis are available on the Zenodo data repository: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15048664. Near-live tracks can be viewed at https://biotracker.tv/. Photo IDs were uploaded to Sharkbook: Wildbook for whale sharks: https://www.sharkbook.ai/ and links provided in Table A1.
Grant note: Funding: We acknowledge funding support by the Slattery Family Trust, the Queensland Government's Threatened Species Research (Round 1) grant (TSR069), the Sapphire Project, Blancpain Ocean Commitment, Georgia Aquarium, Sea World Foundation (SWR/9/2023), Conservation International, MAC3 Impact Philanthropies, and 4planet.
Organisation Unit: School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991138094102621
Output Type: Journal article

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